Betel leaves on another 50 bighas torched in Jhenidah
Rupali Bala gives a bleak look at her torched betel garden at Raigram village in Kaliganj upazila of Jhenidah district.Photo: STAR
In yet another arson attack, betel leaves on about 50 bighas of land at two adjacent villages--Raigram and Dulalmundia--in Kaliganj upazila of the district were destroyed yesterday morning. Locals and betel farmers alleged that criminals set fire to their orchards, causing damage to betel leaves worth about Tk 1.8 crore. This was the second such attack on betelleaf farms in the area within a span of 24 hours and the third in 12 days. Betel leaves on 20 bighas of land at the two villages were torched on Monday morning. On February 9, betel-leaf orchards on 60 bighas of land at adjacent Balidapara and Dulalmundia villages in the upazila were set on fire allegedly by unidentified criminals. Several such incidents of arson took place in Kaliganj upazila last year, but law enforcers and local administration mysteriously failed to identify the culprits involved, locals alleged. The farmers affected in yesterday's incident are Pradip Dutta, Jonai Dutta, Azizur Rahman, Kumaresh, Kalachandra, Taposh, Shyam Dutta, Chanchal Sen, Ananda Das, jaga Das, Sadhan Bhattacharya, Bikash Bhattacharya, Chandan sen, Gazi mondol, Shankar Sen and Haren Dutta. While visiting the area yesterday morning, the farmers told this correspondent that they cultivated betel, taking loans from banks and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). “Betel farming is the only source of our livelihood. But fire completely damaged our orchards, they said. Chandan Sen, a betel-leaf grower, said he has taken loan from banks and spent those in betel-farming. He demanded immediate investigation into the arson attacks and exemplary punishment to the criminals. Ananda Das of Raigram village said he cultivated betel on two bighas of land, taking loan from relatives. “How will I repay the loan and maintain my family? Taposh Mondol of the same village told this correspondent that he would not cultivate betel further as he incurred a huge loss. Fire fighters from Jhenidah sadar Kotchandpur upazila headquarters extinguished the fire with the help of locals. They said betel leaves worth over Tk one crore were gutted in the fire. ASP Rezaul Islam, Upazila Parishad Chairman Anwarul Azim Anar, UNO Anjumanara Begum, and Officer-in-charge (OC) Faruk Hossain of Kaliganj Police Station visited the spot yesterday. Upazila chairman Anar assured the affected farmers of taking actions against the persons responsible for torching betel orchards after proper investigation. The chairman said he will form a committee at a meeting on Friday to investigate the incidents and find the culprits.
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